1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to dental and medical instruments which include imaging systems, and more particularly to a dental/medical instrument having an illumination and imaging system which allows for 360 degree rotational motion of the instrument body relative a connector portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dental handpieces are commonly used in restorative dental procedures such as removal of decayed or damaged portions of teeth by drilling or abrasion, thereby allowing replacement thereof by metallic or other synthetic filling materials. This type of dental operation is frequently performed in portions of the oral cavity which are not in direct view. Traditionally, dentists have employed small mirrors mounted on handles in order to view the area of the dental operation. Such use of mirrors is difficult and does not always provide a clear view of the operating area. The dentist's view of the operation is further hindered by the water jet accompanying the drill, which tends to mist or otherwise obscure mirror surfaces. Similarly, physicians and other medical personnel must frequently perform procedures in areas which can be hidden by tissue, organs and the like.
Advances in video and endoscopic technology have given rise to the development of dental and medical instruments which include video or other imaging systems which reduce the need for mirrors during dental operations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,536 discloses a dentistry set having a head inclined with respect to a drill axis and using visual control, wherein an illuminating head provides light from a fiber optic to the area about a drill bit, and images therefrom are transmitted through a window via mirrors to a CCD camera. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,924 discloses a fiber optic imaging dental drill in which a fiber optic imaging scope conveys images to a solid state video pickup. U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,070 discloses a dental drill with integral camera and optics which illuminates a work area by fiber optic lens and relays images of the work area to a video imaging device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,603 discloses a dental isolation system having a fiber optic illumination and viewing system.
As can be seen therefore, a number of dental tools with illuminating and imaging systems are known. However, such devices suffer from an important drawback in that the handpiece cannot swivel or otherwise rotate relative to an attached supply hose.
Many non-imaging dental handpieces include a swivel feature which allows the handpiece to swivel or rotate during use relative to the attached supply hose. The swivel motion of the hadpiece facilitates access to portions of the oral cavity and reduces stress and fatigue in the hand of the dentist using the handpiece. Various arrangements have been disclosed which allow transmission of air, water, and illuminating light through a swivel connector or swivel feature without interruption during rotation of the handpiece. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,614,498, 4,534,734, 4,512,189, and 4,431,412, which disclose dental handpieces in which light, air, water, and illumination, but not images, are carried through a swivel connection. Inclusion of such a swivel feature in an imaging or video dental handpiece would require that a fiber optic or other optical communication channel remain interfaced to the imaging system during the rotation or swivelling motion of the handpiece. A transmitted image through such moving parts is easily distorted or destroyed, and is thus difficult to implement. A dental handpiece with an imaging system which provides for 360 degree rotational movement of the body of the handpiece relative to a connector and supply hose has not heretofore been disclosed.
Thus, there is a need for a video dental/medical instrument in which the body of the instrument can swivel or rotate 360 degrees relative to the connecting hose or cable while transmitting undistorted images therebetween, which will not stress or tire the hand of a person using the instrument, and which has a readily detachable and interchangeable body. The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in background art dental/medical instruments with imaging systems.
The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant's claimed invention.